Home   Calendar   Holidays   Canada   Ascension Day
Flag for Canada

Ascension Day 2024 in Canada

Ascension Day is observed in Canada on the 40th day of Easter. It commemorates Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven, according to the New Testament of the Bible.

Is Ascension Day a Public Holiday?

Ascension Day is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.

Jesus in the clouds

Statue of Jesus, who Christians believe ascended to heaven.

©iStockphoto.com/Allan Brown

What Do People Do?

Some Christians in Canada attend Ascension Day church services where they can receive communion, also known as the Eucharist, engage in prayer and sing hymns. Various churches, including the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, observe this event. Children who attend Sunday school may learn about the meaning of Ascension Day around this time of the year.

Public Life

Ascension Day is not a federal public holiday in Canada. Offices, retail stores, educational institutions and public transit systems run to their usual schedules.

Background

Ascension Day is one of the earliest Christian festivals dating back to the year 68 CE. According to the New Testament in the Bible, Jesus Christ met several times with his disciples during the 40 days after his resurrection to instruct them on how to carry out his teachings. It is believed that on the 40th day he took them to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as he ascended to heaven.

Ascension Day marks the end of the Easter season and occurs ten days before Pentecost. Depending upon the phases of the Moon in a particular year, Ascension Day is usually celebrated on a Thursday. However, it has been reported that some Roman Catholic churches in Canada celebrate it on the following Sunday.

Many Eastern Orthodox churches calculate the date of Pascha (Easter) according to the Julian calendar, rather than the Gregorian calendar used by many western churches, so their Ascension Day usually occurs after the western observance.

About Ascension Day in Other Countries

Read more about Ascension Day.

Ascension Day Observances

YearWeekdayDateNameHoliday Type
2019ThuMay 30Ascension DayChristian
2020ThuMay 21Ascension DayChristian
2021ThuMay 13Ascension DayChristian
2022ThuMay 26Ascension DayChristian
2023ThuMay 18Ascension DayChristian
2024ThuMay 9Ascension DayChristian
2025ThuMay 29Ascension DayChristian
2026ThuMay 14Ascension DayChristian
2027ThuMay 6Ascension DayChristian
2028ThuMay 25Ascension DayChristian
2029ThuMay 10Ascension DayChristian

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.